Motion picture theater



Nov. 16, 1943. J, H. OWENS MOTION PICTURE THEATER Filed oct. 9,v 1942 vSrwentox: LHMES H WENSv ritenesse-v. 1s, l1943 UNITED `STAT.

- a claims. (cram-3) This invention relates to amotion V'picture'.

.theater and more particularly to a motion picturetheater provided with a type o f illumination which 'permits the patrons to comfortably dnd their way around and at: the same time does not 'interferewith the visibility of thepicture.

provided with the usual ceilingand walls indi cated at Ili.- The usual projection booth is provided at the rear ofthe theater as indicatedat I.I, with the projection screen I2 at the front of Ithasl heretofore been proposed to use carpets with lfluorescent patterns and to provide small light sources adjacent the: aisles which cause duorescenceof th'epattern so that the patrons could .see the aisle, and-occasionally uorescen-t markings have been used. In all such instances, however, relatively small light sources have been provided which were only sumcient to illuminate a smallarea of the uorescent materials.

In my improved motion' picture theater,I prothe thea-ter and the appropriate sound reproducer I 3 concealed behind the screen in the usual manner. A stage may be provided at. I8, if desired.

The theater is, of course, provided with the usual seats I4`-which may be upholstered with fabric having a fluorescent .pattern or which mayhave' portions. such as the upper back painted with fluorescent paint s0 that' vacant seats can be readily located.

vide vlarge ultra violet light -sources sothat the entire theater is llooded withl ultra violet light, thereby permitting -the-use of uorescent pat' tenisin the carpets and on the. seats, thus making vacant seats readily apparent and permitting the movement oi patrons'around the theater as if it were illuminated, while at the 'same time there vis not suiiicient light to interfere with the the visibilityoi the picture. 1

Y In addition, the ultra violet light intensity is sumciently high so as to provide a certain vamount of therapeutic effect. The level of illumination `must be sumciently low so that the exposure of the patrons thereto for the entire period o1' the 'I'he general ultra violet illumination is provided by appropriate'ultra violet lights such as those indicated .at I5 distributed about the auditorium, preferably in recesses as illustrated. An

appropriate type oi light source for the purpose is',

for example, the Westinghouse type RS sun lamps. These lamps have sufdcient light available at the wave length of 2967 Angstrom umts toproduce an eective therapeutic 'effect and at the same time provide suiiicient illumination at the wave length of 3650 Angstrom to aetivate the fluorescent materials. These lights, in

addition to the ultraviolet light, provide considerable intensity oi visible light which is'iiltered out byvappnopniate iilters iE. v Appropriate glassperformance will not be harmful but atthe same time the Vlevel of illumination should be sufliciently high so that a slight eect is produced. One object o! the invention is to provide an improved system ot illumination in a motion picture theater.A

Another objectoi' the invention is to provide a general fioodingot a motion picture theater with ultra. violet light so that 'iiuorescent materials or markers anywhere within the theater will be excited.

Another object'of the invention is to provide va motion picture theater with` suflicient general ultra violet illumination to produce a slight therapeutic or sun eiect on the patrons.

Other and incidental objects of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification and inspection or the accompanying in -oi' 'drawing is a schematic The single 11m-1re filters having high transmission in the ultra violet and substantially opaque to visible light are available-commercially.' One type 4of such lter is, for

example, the ultra violet transmitting lter glass manufactured -by the Corning Glass Works at Corning, New York. An ult'ra violet type of filter is described by R. W. Wood in his book entitled Physica1'0pticsf, lwhich describes the use oi' a thin layer of silver on a glass support for transmitting ultraviolet and preventing the translongitudinal'section through av motion picture of visible light: l At places where visible light is desired as, for example, at the exit light'at I1, similar light sources may be used with corresponding'nlters and the lighting may be provided by appropriatefluorescent materials Alternatively, at the exit' light a red glass illter may be used Iorthe light,

permitting a sumcient quantity of the visible light from the ultra violetsources to -be 'transmitted to render the signs and the exit doors visible. i The light intensity must be chosen with due'regard to the area tobe covered and theother dimensions of the theater. The light should not be suiliciently intense toproduce any damage to theaterconstructedin accordance withmyinven` a pau-gg with cm, @um the entire 'non 1 W f. p mdfa'perflnjan. ontheothernnd.-

Referring nowtofthe drawing, the theater is so 1t is desirable um the Alicht .intensity shcmld'te sufficiently high so that an appreciable tan will bc produced and maintained if the patron attends the performances regularly.

The invention is also of particular value at sea. side resorts or in the vicinity of bathing beaches, as the patrons may attend the theater in costumes which expose considerable portions of their skins to the ultraviolet rays and may thereby enjoy the advantages of the sunlight while at the same time enjoying the motion picture.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a motion picture auditorium provided with seats fluorescent under ultra violet light to indicate when they are unoccupied, sources of ultra violet light flooding the auditorium with -ultra violet light and filters preventing the spreading of sucent visible light rom said sources to interfere with the viewing of the motion picture.

2. In a motion picture auditorium provided .ultra violet light flooding .the auditorium with ultra violet light of sufficient intensity to produce a mild therapeutic eiect during the normal time of a program but of insufficient intensity to produce any injurious'effect during the same period and filters preventing the spreading of sucient visible light from said sources to interfere with the viewing of the motion pictures.

JAMES H. o'wENs. 

